HOPE – The 2017 summer class of the Hope Police Department Junior Police Academy was graduated in ceremonies here July 21 at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana.The six members of the summer program class included Kaleb Bunn, Josh Henley, Wesley Smith, Giovanni Vargas, T’Khyah Walker and special assistant Tiffany Schobey.The program was directed by HPD school resource officers Davey Jones and Freddie Parks.Jones said the program is designed to give youth of the community an opportunity to know HPD officers, their responsibilities and how they are carried out.“We want to show how everybody can make a difference,” he said.Parks said the “take aways” from the program allow cadets to develop a greater pride in their school; learn how to see a need and respond to it; and learn how to see a problem and report it.“I feel confident and proud that these students are going to do that in our schools,” Parks said.The cadets completed two weeks of classroom work on policing theory and the law, as well as participating in a crime scene investigation and a mock court trial.He said the program was a positive reinforcement for the cadets that instilled discipline and civic-mindedness to produce pride in community and school.Special guest HPD Lt. Jimmy Courtney, who also serves as a member of the Hope Public Schools Board, said the program has a special place in his heart.“We want to say thank you to the Hope Public Schools for allowing us to use their facilities; and, thank you to Mr. Hart and the Hope School Board,” Courtney said.The program was conducted on the Hope High School campus this year, and Courtney said he anticipates more collaborative efforts between the HPD and the Hope schools as a way for police officers to be considered part of the community.“We want our community to trust us,” Courtney said.Special thanks were extended to HPD Detective Todd Lauterbach, Courtney, Amber Collums, Officer Angela Gammage, and the parents of the cadets.​